Textile industry set for revival

More than 100 000 tonnes of cotton expected this year is five times higher than what has been produced in the previous season hence strategies need to be put in place for the revival of the textile industry.

Bias in the value-addition and beneficiation is critical in creating employment opportunities for the country’s citizens to ensure the exportation of yarn than lint.

Most of the big companies having closed shop owing to economic induced challenges, there is still scope to resuscitate some of the operations by injecting in excess of US$30 million into the textile industry.

With the tonnage of cotton expected this year, with the local companies excepting to process 16 000 tonnes into lint the country will also be losing potential revenue which is two folds when exporting yarn.

Under the Zimbabwe Agenda for Socio-Economic Transformation (ZIM ASSET), value addition and beneficiation is critical in creating employment opportunities for the country’s citizens.

Value-addition of cotton will also see the flourishing of the oil and soap industry.

Despite the non-existence of big entities, small enterprises are holding fort hence the need for government to ensure there is less importation of clothing material as a way of promoting local firms.

At its peak the sector employed 35 000 people and the revival of the sector will see a significant number of people being employed in a short space of time.

The implementation of the ambitious 2014 to 2019 cotton to clothing strategy aimed at increasing yearly cotton production to 450 000 tonnes is under way with several capacity building initiatives having been instituted.